April 2004: First Women’s Policy Summit is held; action projects are announced on corporal punishment, domestic violence and the Living Wage campaign; website provided links to multiple issues of concern to women, calendar of local events and more

May 2004: Deborah Clubb is hired under United Way funding as executive director. 2004:

Rallied women’s support for a successful Living Wage campaign for city employees

Helped secure a ban on corporal punishment in the Memphis City Schools with our Stop the Hitting campaign

Hosted Mondays with MAWC lunchtime gatherings to focus community attention on the Living Wage, Title IX/gender equity and domestic violence

Hosted Muffins with MAWC to introduce the Council and build relationships with local policy leaders and influence-makers.

Trained volunteers who then documented needs of domestic violence victims and staff in the Order of Protection hearing room in our Court Watch project. We achieved new signage in the Criminal Justice Center.

Domestic Violence action team united legal, government and health leaders.

Produced Where the Girls Are women’s agency exhibit and collaboration with Ballet Memphis

Fostered Girls for Change, a new leadership program for girl activists ages 13-17 who are tackling issues of sexual harassment at school, teen pregnancy/reproductive education and negative media images.

Supported state legislation to increase penalties for breaking domestic violence-related Orders of Protection and cheered legislators who helped

Hosted another training to prepare to expand Courtwatch into General Sessions criminal courts

Joined the Coalition for a Better Memphis to bring women’s voices to the discussion of issues for local candidates and the ranking of those candidates

Researched Memphis City Schools Title IX activity.

2006:

Ongoing WAC workgroups focused on child care subsidy policies, public transportation routes and schedules, access to mental and medical health services and operation of the local Workforce Investment Network.

MAWC and Women’s Studies Program worked with more than 100 girls from 15 public, private and parochial schools in Girls for Change, with training like a “baby MAWC.” MAWC and Women’s Studies won Public Service grant from UofM for a rally that was attended by more than 70 people to launch Girls for Change. Teen activist Shelby Knox spoke and showed the documentary about her work in Lubbock TX.

Advocated for change in management of Workforce Investment Board – manager was replaced

Strategized with Living Wage campaign – on steering committee and at City Hall sessions

Researched Memphis City Schools sex education policy and practice

Joined the Healthy Choices Week project of Memphis City Schools to bring concerns for girls’ health and safety to the discussion. Persistence moved planners to set Dating Violence as topic at a special panel presentation.

Supported state legislation to increase penalties for breaking domestic violence-related Orders of Protection and cheered legislators who helped

Testified to Shelby County Board of Commissioners on results of observation of judicial commissioners in Orders of Protection hearing room.

Achieved new designated private space in 201 Poplar Criminal Justice Center where victims and advocates could meet; continued investigation of gaps in services in court, behavior of judicial commissioners, etc.

Theater fundraiser at Playhouse on the Square at “The Full Monty” raised $1,980

Memphis City Council granted the living wage to all fulltime city employees on July 1, 2006 and to tax freeze recipients starting Jan. 1 2007

Organized a Memphis Development District Advisory group for the Tennessee Economic Council on women to assure concerns of women in Shelby, Lauderdale, Fayette and Tipton counties become part of the TECW agenda.

Joined the Healthy Choices Week project of Memphis City Schools to bring concerns for girls’ health and safety to the discussion. Persistence moved planners to set Dating Violence as topic at a special panel presentation.

2007:

Deborah invited to Wednesdays in Mississippi Planning Committee for National Civil Rights Museum

Girls for Change finale lock-in at Lindenwood Christian Church

Presented findings of Workforce Action Collaborative, on barriers keeping low wage women from good jobs with good wages, at CROW Community Issues Forum

Living Wage campaign extended to county employees

Sexual harassment research with CROW funded by The Urban Child Institute grant won by MAWC and CROW

Rhodes Summer Service Fellow on staff

2008:

MAWC office moved from campus to 2574 Sam Cooper Blvd.

Conducted study of sexual harassment with funding from The Urban Child Institute ;

Deborah and Sonja appointed to Family Court Taskforce for Shelby County Board of Commissioners; Deborah eventually authored the taskforce report and assisted in shaping legislation and testifying in Nashville in support of it;

Reception for female legislators with MWPC and WFGM Oct

Saw Mayor Herenton replace director of the Workforce Investment Board after MAWC alerted reporter to state investigation of local operations

With partners forming Erase Domestic Crime Collaborative, organized public rally with Mayor Wharton and others declaring public health emergency due to high number of domestic homicides – October Domestic Violence Awareness Month event.

With $10,000 from CFGM, created a new awareness campaign to connect victims and volunteers to domestic violence resources

Championed a Family Safety Center to unify services for adults and children endangered by domestic violence

From Workforce Action Collaborative came Transportation Taskforce and effort with MATA to adjust bus routes to link highest-need areas with highest-employment areas.

Girls for Change had more than 30 girls in leadership series

Public forum on anti-crime legislation with Hadassah

With Women’s Foundation, convened local leaders and researchers to form Women’s Economic Security Collaborative toward idea of creating a Poverty Impact Statement.

Executive director was West Tennessee honorary co-chair for Tennessee Economic Council on Women annual summit in Nashville

Raised $2,200 trough theater party for 1776 at Circuit Playhouse .

Dr. Nancy Hardt returned from fellowship in Washington to present “Women, Policy and Power: A Federal Perspective”

2009:

Led effort to address crisis in management of the Rape Crisis Center, in close conversation with City Council, County Commission and community partners. Got it moved from city management. Six of us were named by Mayor AC Wharton to Victims of Crime Advisory League (VOCAL).

Named lead organization for Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence by Operation: Safe Community

Won $20,000 United Way Venture Fund grant to support Erase Domestic Crime Collaborative – new resources and energy toward shelter, advocates, prevention and other services for victims/survivors.

Girls for Change 2009 with $10,000 from Bornblum guided girls to use data from our sexual harassment survey to create and stage a dramatic script; publicity around the survey spurred stronger training and enforcement of harassment law in MCS in fall 2009.

Testified in legislature in support of a Unified Family Court

With Women’s Foundation, convened local leaders and researchers to form Women’s Economic Security Collaborative toward idea of creating a Poverty Impact Statement. WFGM funded the Council $28,800 to coordinate creation of two local advisory boards, convene discussion of workforce barriers and poverty and shape strategies for action plans focusing on women and green jobs and reauthorization of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and child care block grants.

Trained at intensive four-day conference on social change with Sonja, Connie Ross and Julie Coffey.

Executive director appointed to Shelby County Coalition for Effective Early Home Visitation public awareness and advocacy work group, part of a federal grant awarded to LeBonheur.

2010:

Organized community rally and press conference – two-part event with officials and data in the morning, panel and viewing of Precious in the evening.

Theater fundraiser held at Playhouse on the Square at Frost/Nixon raised $1,990

2011:

Won federal funding to bring the Blueprint for Safety project to Shelby County – one of three communities in the nation to win this two-year support for helping our criminal justice system become more victim-centered and to hold perpetrators of battering accountable.

Committed to multiple meetings with criminal justice work groups to represent women, victims and systems change in the Blueprint project.

Added leaders from legal and medical professions, business, local funders and faith-based partners to the Erase Domestic Crime Collaborative which coordinates efforts at improving services for victims and their families.

Acquired for rape victims a new power exam table from local firm Physician Sales & Services Inc, donated to the Midsouth Sexual Assault Resource Center.

Organized the annual Erase Domestic Crime rally at the Children’s Museum of Memphis, working with partners to generate awareness thru speakers and media attention

Created and updated resource materials to help each of us help family, friends, coworkers and neighbors become safe – and loaded them onto erasedomesticcrime.com.

Wrote a brochure to guide apartment owners and faith communities in providing shelter and housing to DV victims.

Crafted a one-page guide to the Orders of Protection process.

Initiated curriculum and materials to equip employers to aid employees and secure workplaces.

Partnered with Memphis Men for Memphis Women for second annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, uniting attorneys, physicians, business owners and media in awareness event thru the Broad Avenue Business District.

Advocated for training, evaluation and supervision of judicial commissioners regarding Orders of Protection and management of hearing room.

Spoke for local women in the Economic Summit for Women in Nashville, Shelby County’s Defending Childhood Initiative, Memphis’s National Youth Violence Prevention Forum, MemTV teen pregnancy collaborative, Reaching Home homelessness conference, on local television and print media and to Rotary and other civic meetings.

“August Osage County” fundraiser at Playhouse on the Square.

2012:

Rode-along with police as they responded to battered women’s 911 calls.

Listened to battered women in their homes and in our focus groups about how systems helped them, or did not.

Listened as batterers attended court-ordered classes on how NOT to behave.

Analyzed and assessed our local criminal justice system through close observation and in long hours of discussion as systems change advocates in the Blueprint for Safety Project. MAWC partnered with Shelby County government to win Department of Justice funding for the Blueprint project which aims to help our system be more victim-centered and to hold batterers accountable.

Drafted possible changes to criminal justice system response based on years of analysis and discussion including the Blueprint project – keeping voices of women and victims at the center.

Maintained a community calendar of domestic violence-themed events for public engagement at www.erasedomesticcrime.com.

Launched “Violence at Home. Victims at Work. Employers Confront Domestic Violence” a new Erase Domestic Crime campaign to equip local employers with awareness and resources to help employees who are victims.

Created and posted materials and resources online at www.erasedomesticcrime.com so that each of us can help coworkers, family and friends become safe.

Organized two fall festival community events to introduce NOVA – Network for Overcoming Violence and Abuse – and our client-serving partners in this new coordinated enhanced care for children exposed to violence, under funding from the Department of Justice Defending Childhood Initiative.

Won $3,000 grant from Verizon Wireless and $3,500 support from United Way of the Midsouth for 2013 employer awareness training series.

Partnered with Memphis Men for Memphis Women for its 3rd annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event, uniting attorneys, political leaders, physicians, business owners and media during a Broad Avenue Art Walk and raising awareness of the need for men to engage in eliminating DV.

Convened meeting of police officials, Defending Childhood partners and Blueprint leadership to coordinate how to capture on police report and share information on children exposed to violence in crime scenes.

Trained at the national Advocacy Learning Center in Minneapolis to increase our capacity to organize and lead social change that benefits women thru dialog, understanding, analysis and collective action strategies.

Spoke on behalf of local women at the WOMEN VOTE EARLY collaborative; Economic Summit for Women held in Nashville; Shelby County’s Defending Childhood Initiative; Operation: Safe Community goal of Reducing Violence in the Home; West Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare; on local television & print media & many civic meetings.

Theater fundraiser at Circuit Playhouse at “Tuna Does Vegas.”

2013

Advocated for strengthening of rape survivor services as part of leadership for comprehensive response to resolution of local rape kit backlog. Spoke out for attention to needs of investigators and prosecutors to undertake cold cases and for renewed support of victim advocates, counseling and other unique services in the Rape Crisis Center. Met with City Council, local funders, police, mayor’s staff, county administrators, etc. Carried message to local news media and community groups.

Taught six “Violence at Home. Victims at Work” workshops for employers, monthly on the fourth Thursdays, January thru June. More than 100 employers, supervisors and human resource professionals attended.

Recruited men and boys to join the 4th annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes – in April in the Broad Avenue arts district.

Raised support at Playhouse on the Square on June 22 for “The Color Purple” our annual theater party fundraising event.

Exposed sexism and violence in media images of women, from Memphis in May Barbecue Festival poster to Pyramid restaurant mermaid to multi-image exhibit during Broad Avenue Art Walk, in conjunction with Rhodes College. Also co-sponsored screening of Miss Representation as a companion event to the exhibit, participated on panel at Rhodes College.

Coordinated and produced the Memphis Development District hearing on “economic impact of violence against women in Tennessee” for the Tennessee Economic Council on Women. Legislators, state Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons, sheriffs, prosecutors, social service leaders. employers, medical professionals and advocates from three counties brought data and evidence of wide impact of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. State Rep. Karen Camper, former state Sen. Beverly Marrero, Dr. Carol Danehower, Dr. Lynda Sagrestano and Nicholas Mastron served on the MDD planning team.

Demanded appointment of women to all-male City Council committee to rename local parks; two were named.

Laid groundwork for a local business alliance to end partner violence – to be launched in January 2014 at our annual conference on workplace violence for employers. Register now: